U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,572 discloses a carburetor bowl drain screw and recovery system that permits fuel to be safely drained from a carburetor in an environment that could otherwise be hazardous such as a hot engine. The bowl is disposed vertically. A drain screw is inserted in the bowl adjacent its lower end and extends outwardly therefrom. An end of the screw within the bowl has channels into which the fuel in the bowl can flow by gravity action. The other end of the screw has an aperture through which fuel can be discharged. The screw has a locked position at which fuel flow is blocked and an unlocked position at which the fuel can be discharged and collected via a hose connected from the other end of the screw into an appropriate collection vessel. In order to place the screw in either position it is necessary to use a wrench to change the position of the screw. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid loosening the connection of the screw to the bowl. A second wrench is used to maintain the proper connection of the screw when it is either locked or unlocked.
The present invention is directed toward a new type of carburetor bowl drain screw and recovery system. In particular, the invention employs a novel screw mechanism having one open end inserted in the bowl and an opposite open end disposed outside the bowl. The mechanism is secured to the bowl in a leak proof manner and has at least one longitudinal conduit through which the fuel in the bowl can be conducted by gravity action. The opening in the opposite end is sealed by a first disconnect coupler. This first coupler is normally closed and blocks fuel flow. The first coupler can be opened by manual action and permits the fuel to be discharged.
However the invention also employs a hose open at one end and secured at its other end to a fuel collection vessel. This one hose end contains a second quick disconnect coupler that is also normally closed. These two couplers are adapted for snap connection to each other and when so connected by hand they are both open and permit fuel to flow through the screw, couplers and hose for collection in the vessel.
The use of two quick disconnect couplers enables the use of a novel and simplified screw mechanism and substitutes a simple hand motion for use of wrenches. These couplings are well known in the art and are manufactured and sold commercially.